When the ancient Polynesians invented surfing, they often used a paddle to help them navigate. Fast-forward a few millennia, and Stand-Up Paddleboarding, or SUP, finds itself trendy again. Part of its increasing popularity is that standing upright allows surfers to spot waves more easily and thus catch more of them, multiplying the fun factor. Paddling back to the wave becomes less of a strain as well. The ability to cruise along on flat inland water, surveying the sights, is another advantage. Finally, its a good core workout. If youre sold on the idea, schedule an intro SUP lesson, free with board and paddle rental, and you may find yourself riding the waves like a Polynesian king.More

In the past 30 years, light artists have reimagined an art form that has always had the ability to turn the night sky, or a simple window, into luminescence. Last fall, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts turned its southern glass wall into a parade of sound-sensing lights, Lightswarm, that changes with the movements of nearby people and things. Future Cities Lab, the San Francisco design company behind Lightswarm, has originated another notable light sculpture. Located by the YBCA's steps at 701 Mission, Murmur Wall will light up in arresting ways as it incorporates local trending search engine results and social media postings. Onlookers can offer their own contributions, which will feed into the Murmur Wall's data stream and light up the sculpture. What's trending in San Francisco? If you're walking by the YBCA, you can see firsthand — at least through light patterns that reflect the city's volatile internet habits.
Murmur Wall debuts Thursday at 6 p.m. and continues through May 31, 2017, at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission St., S.F. Free; 415-978-2700 or ybca.org. More

In case you've been TaskRabbiting your way through life and haven't had the chance to leave the micro-loft to stroll the alleys and streets of central San Francisco, the number of homeless tent encampments in town is approaching epic levels — as in Hooverville and Great Depression levels.

Two Far Gone

Location Info

“Tennessee Williams has outdone himself.” That's hard to fathom. Consider the sexual tension, violence, and outright denial of A Streetcar Named Desire. Consider the years of blatant family dysfunction and sexual repression operating on multiple levels in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Consider the violated social and religious taboos in The Night of the Iguana. Now consider The Two-Character Play. Felice and Clare are brother and sister, a playwright and actress on tour. They've been abandoned by their company in an unknown theater. The audience is expecting something. So they make the best of a play by Felice. It's about a brother and sister, who've witnessed their parents' murder-suicide and have lived as recluses since the incident. The play is about their attempt to re-engage with the world – just walk out their front door – or else kill themselves. As the play within a play develops, it becomes less clear what's real and what's not – and more clear that Felice and Clare are facing their own demons and in fact letting them fight. Critics weren't that nice to Williams when this play debuted, and he revised and even renamed it. Regardless, it remained the playwright's favorite. It's in the capable directing hands of John Fisher of Theatre Rhinoceros, who has a history of writing and directing works that look taboos and demons in the eye. We can't wait to see what he does with this one.
Tuesdays-Sundays. Starts: Jan. 4. Continues through Jan. 15, 2012

Slideshows

Sub Pop recording artists 'clipping.' brought their brand of noise-driven experimental hip hop to the closing night of 2016's San Francisco Electronic Music Fest this past Sunday. The packed Brava Theater hosted an initially seated crowd that ended the night jumping and dancing against the front of the stage. The trio performed a set focused on their recently released Sci-Fi Horror concept album, 'Splendor & Misery', then delved into their dancier and more aggressive back catalogue, and recent single 'Wriggle'.
Opening performances included local experimental electronic duo 'Tujurikkuja' and computer music artist 'Madalyn Merkey.'"